


Surprisingly Catlike

by Dagonet (TsukikoCurrier)



Series: PolyShipWeek [7]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Poly-V, polyshipweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-08-11 07:49:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7882813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsukikoCurrier/pseuds/Dagonet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twenty years of friendship and ten of being together romantically does that to a person- they adapt.</p><p>Eggsy was something new to adapt to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surprisingly Catlike

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elletromil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elletromil/gifts).



> This is the end of PolyShipWeek! Today was a free day, so I once again adapted circumstances and conversations I've had in my poly-v to suit the circumstance at hand :)

  
          Merlin needed to be moving- whether in mind or body it was just a necessity of being him. His fingers needed to be occupied, his leg was always twitching, he needed to have something else to focus on- it was likely why he was such an excellent handler. He had to be doing more than one thing at once- the _concept_  of cuddling and watching a film was always a nice one, but the reality of it left him feeling antsy. This made down-time with Harry oddly stressful- but he'd long since learned to tamper down his need to be moving, or be _able_  to move, when alone with Harry. Twenty years of friendship and ten of being together romantically does that to a person- they adapt.  
  
  
Eggsy was something new to adapt to.  
  
  
          He wouldn't deny that from the outside their relationship probably looked complicated- or fraught with jealousy issues- but it was in all reality rather simple. Merlin was dating Harry, who was dating Eggsy, who was not dating Merlin. Pretty straight forward.  
  
  
          'Haz, leave him be.' Eggsy's sitting on the sofa across from him, tugging at Harry's left sleeve to keep him from tugging Merlin into their cuddle. It's not that Merlin's averse to cuddling with the two on the regular, but at the moment he feels like his skin is itching. He wonders how Eggsy could tell, when Harry still couldn't after over ten years, but shared a grateful look with the lad. He props himself on the opposite sofa, close enough for Harry to touch but far enough away that he wasn't entirely engulfed in his presence, and pulled out his Kindle. Harry turned to Eggsy with a frown on his face after looking at Merlin for a moment, brow raised slightly in question.  
  
  
          'Well he's like a cat, ain't he?' Merlin's brows shoot up his forehead, eyes staring blankly at the Kindle's screen, as he listens to Eggsy try to explain Merlin to Harry. 'He don't always want to be touched, or pulled in for a cuddle- he'll start it himself if he wants to be held and shit. He wants to be near you, and maybe get pet a bit- but on his terms, yeah?'  
  
  
          'I've been with him far longer than you've been around Eggsy- how would I have not noticed such a thing?' Merlin is thankful that Harry doesn't sound angry, or accusatory, he's honestly curious and taking Eggsy seriously. Not that Merlin ever thought Harry would be _angry_  about his quirks, but he knows that Harry takes great comfort in displaying his affection. He's always been a man of more actions than words- whereas Merlin's quite the opposite. Eggsy chuckles lowly, and Merlin comes back to himself in time to hear his answer.  
  
  
          'He cares more about your comfort than his own, you daft pillock; he's probably been puttin' up with your octopus tendencies for years with fond exasperation and not a little bit of patience. You ain't never gonna notice the shit he don't want you to see, love.' Eggsy broke his gaze with Harry, looking straight at Merlin- who couldn't remember when he'd put the Kindle down and given up any pretense of reading. 'But he don't have to do that anymore- you've got me now, an' he can join or not at his fancy. Fuck knows you're not attention starved, Haz.'  


          Merlin feels exposed, pinned like one of the butterflies in the loo, when Harry turns himself in his seat and places a hand on Merlin's knee. 'Is he right?' He flushes, but doesn't break eye contact as he gives a tiny nod in response. 'Why didn't you ever say anything?'  
  
  
          'It's still nice, sometimes- I just don't see the point in trying to give you some kind of code for whether or not it's okay for you to hug me. I can deal.'  
  
  
          'But you shouldn't have to.' Merlin doesn't want to look away, and neither does Harry, but neither has anything more to say.  
  
           
'An' he don't anymore, so get your arse back over here and let's watch a film while Merlin reads some shitty romance novel.' Eggsy calls from the sofa, prodding Harry's leg with his foot. Moment broken, Harry leans forward to place a soft kiss to Merlin's forehead before turning back to Eggsy.  
  
  
          'I'm not fucking reading a romance novel, you tit, it's Tolkien.' It had been a long time since he'd last picked up The Hobbit, and felt a re-read was in order.  
  
  
          'So you's a fuckin' nerd, then?'  
  
  
          'You want to come whisper that in my ear?'  
  
  
          'Don' have to- you heard me _just_  fine.' Eggsy's got his legs propped in Harry's lap, though his face is turned toward the telly, and Merlin takes this moment of vulnerability to grasp his ankles and _yank._

  
          'Oi!' Merlin tickles his feet, and Eggsy dissolves into laughter- trying his damnedest to kick Merlin off him, but Harry has a firm hold on him. Eggsy is going nowhere, laughing so hard that tears are pooling in his eyes, and Merlin and Harry share a smile and a soft kiss before he turns back to his abandoned Kindle, normalcy restored.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> As always, you can find me on tumblr at [AgentDagonet](http://www.agentdagonet.tumblr.com)


End file.
